The Benefits of Wide Pushups and How to Do Them

Wide pushups are a simple yet effective way to build your upper-body and core strength. If you’ve mastered regular pushups and want to target your muscles a little differently, wide pushups are a good option.

By positioning your hands further apart, wide pushups target your chest and shoulder muscles more than standard pushups. They offer other benefits, too.

To do wide pushups, you don’t need any gear besides your own body weight. This means you can do them anywhere and anytime you want.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the benefits of wide pushups, how to do them, and variations you can try.

A 2016 study found that doing pushups with a wider hand placement can also work your serratus anterior muscle harder than a standard pushup.

This often neglected muscle, which spans your upper ribs, helps you move your arms and shoulders. It also provides support to your neck and back muscles.

According to the Mayo Clinic, wide pushups are also a beneficial core stability exercise. Having strong core muscles can enhance your balance and posture, protect your back from injury, and make almost any movement easier.

Additionally, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, changing hand positions doesn’t only provide variety, it also allows you to use a different range of motion, which can help prevent overuse injuries.

Wide pushups offer a challenging upper-body workout that targets the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and upper arms. This pushup variation can also help build your core strength, and it may help protect your back, too.

Alternating wide pushups with standard pushups may also be a good way to prevent overuse injuries.

Always work within your limits and avoid overexerting yourself. Start slowly and have patience as you build your strength and endurance.